


How To Make A Hero

by Heccin-Hecc (Heccin_Hecc)



Series: To The Hunger [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark-ish, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Kidnapping, Mystery, Sounds more grimdark than I want it to be, Threats, Villains, Yikes, bit o' angst, kind of, to Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 12:51:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16241996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heccin_Hecc/pseuds/Heccin-Hecc
Summary: The flowers surrounding the town mysteriously turn to a completely foreign species within a night. Mongooses, a generally uncommon creature, become invasive before the week is out. Many youngsters, ranging from schoolchildren to young adults, disappear from the streets at dusk. Neverwinter is under attack by an unknown force, one that has not been seen or heard, not even leaving a footprint behind.And Angus is more than eager to bust this baddy.(Kind of a shitty title, will probably change)





	1. Tracks and Trails

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, Imma start this with a real quick disclaimer. This is a weird AU. It's a weird convaluted plot that i thought was pretty cool. I don't wanna spoil the surprise, so I'll let y'all decide if it is cool or not. 
> 
> It is not beta read, so it may be awkward and klunky. Anywho, enjoy! Criticism welcome!

The flowers surrounding the town mysteriously turn to a completely foreign species within a night. Mongooses, a generally uncommon creature, become invasive before the week is out. Many youngsters, ranging from schoolchildren to young adults, disappear from the streets at dusk. Neverwinter is under attack by an unknown force, one that has not been seen or heard, not even leaving a footprint behind.    


And Angus is more than eager to bust this baddy.

He treks through the forest at a fixed pace, journal in hand as he follows a trail of shoe prints. Earlier, an old woman chased him down to report her missing daughter. Upon being shown her last seen location, the tracks in the soil became Angus' top priority, and he set off.

Of course, in his hurry he forgot most of his supplies. He mentally slaps himself for forgetting his stone of farspeech. The situation must be reported to the authorities. However, it is a bit too late to go back now, he knows. If the earlier cases of missing people indicates anything, the daughter may not turn up when the trail goes cold.   


So, the boy detective braves the cold rain of the night, squinting down at the muddy trail. He notes how mechanical and perfectly placed the steps are, as if strategically pressed into the mud. While odd, the small size of the footprints leave no doubt in Angus' mind. The girl is out here and this is her path.   


The further he follows the trail, the more dense the tree canopies become, blocking out all hint of moonlight, along with a fair bit of rain. He trips up a bit in the darkness, cursing his already faulty vision, and his pace slows. How in the world was the girl able to navigate through the black woods? From what he heard from the woman, the girl was human and had no dark vision or any knowledge on how to cast Light. With the disappearance only occurring an hour ago, there's no way she would have been able to make it through the inky, unmarked wilds. A bit of unease settles in his stomach as he tries to spot the trail ahead. 

A light pops up in the woods suddenly, a few feet askew of the trail, and Angus jumps a bit at the sight. A mixture of relief and suspicion broil in his mind as he takes an instinctive step towards the light, closing the journal in his hands. Trees obscure the source, but the shift of hues suggests fire. After a few more steps, carefully edging along in the dim light, Angus stops and stares. Now, only ten or so feet away, he can make out a figure lounging by a little campfire, an umbrella clasped in its hands.    


"Hello?" he calls out. The figure turns its head, revealing two long ears in the silhouette. "I lost my way, can you help?" The figure is still for a heartbeat, then two, before it stands. At its full height, it is easily over six feet tall, which puts the smaller boy on edge. However, the figure waves to him.   


"Hail and well met, kiddo," it calls out, revealing the sing-songydrawl of a male. "What the hell are ya doin' out in this weather at this time? Get over here before you freeze to death, darling!" Despite his somewhat intimidating size, his playful voice is enough to relax Angus' nerves and the boy bounds up to the flames. Smiling at the spread of warmth across his damp skin, the boy stretches out his hands across the fire.   


"Jeez, thank you, sir! I was afraid I was going to die of hypothermia," he laughs sheepishly. "I am Angus by the way." The man sits back down, and in the light of the fire Angus can get a full view of the elf. He looks fairly young and is easily one of the most beautiful people he has ever seen, with perfect skin and simultaneously soft and chiseled features. He is also much skinnier and spindlier than he first thought, which also does wonders for the boy detectives worries. All in all, he looks like a decent fella.   


"Angus, nice to meetcha. I am Justin," the elf greets, sending the boy a little smile. "I must say, you caught me by surprise. What's a kid like you doing all the way out here at this time?" The boy rubs his hands together before touching his cheeks, sighing at the heat.    


"There's a missing person now, sir, and I jumped right in unprepared. I went to follow her tracks and it got too dark the deeper I got..." Angus looks up at the trees around him, taken aback by how packed in everything is. "Oh dear, I went much further than I thought..." Justin laughs a little, spinning the umbrella in his hands.    


"Well it sounds sorta like an emergency, sweetheart. I don't blame ya for acting quickly about it. But, say, I bet your parents are plenty worried right now," he hums, looking off into the tree line. "It may bebest for you to skedaddle on back." Angus follows his gaze, seeing nothing but the darkness at the edge of the fire lights reach. He rubs his hands together again, chewing on his lip as he considers his options.    


"I mean, I don't have parents, and every second I spend here is a second that guarantees that this girl may die," he reasons aloud, looking down at his entwined hands. "I can't go back, sir. Not without her." He turns back to Justin and makes eye contact for a split second before the elf turns away. Despite his all around friendliness, Angus can't help but notice the lack of contact the man gives, and the little connection they had lasted a moment. In fact, in that time, the boy could've sworn that the man looked...eager. As if some opportunity arose out of the blue.    


Angus is not sure why this has to do with him, but he is equally not sure that he likes it.   

"Uh, do you mind if I light a branch or something with your fire, sir?" he asks. "I need to get back in the trail." Justin stares into the flames for a second more before standing up, dusting off his pants. Angus takes a step back once he reaches his full height.  

"I don't think I particularly trust you wandering off by yourself, little man," the elf says. "My, it would devastate me if you got hurt in these woods. I can see in the dark, maybe I can guide you through these parts?" Angus frowns at the suggestion, not a huge fan of going along with a stranger, but two people is much more efficient than once. And besides, rain would snuff the torch out. Nodding slowly, the boy turns towards the trail.    


"Thank you, I think that would help a lot," he relents. "Would you mind leading the way?" Justin grins as he steps forward, following the path with long, somewhat lazy strides with Angus close behind. The two travel through the forest, the soft sound of rain pattering down all around them. The smell of wet earth and those oddly sweet flowers permeates the air. It would be a lovely night if it wasn't the scene of a disappearance.

"You live in Neverwinter?" Justin asks, turning past a barrier of shrubbery. Angus struggles to push through the bushes, tripping over some twigs while the elf waits for him to catch his footing. 

"No, I am just visiting," he responds, blinking at the darkness surrounding him. "Sir, do you mind if I hold on to your robes? I can't really see you all that well..." Justin stops in his tracks, making the boy detective run right into him. After regaining balance, Angus realizes the man is extending an arm to him. Feeling around in the dark, he snatches on to the sleeve of his robes. 

"Thank you!"  


"No problem, bubula," Justin mumbles as he continues on his path. His voice is somewhat distant, as if lost in thought. Angus keeps this in mind.    


"So, are you from Neverwinter?" Angus asks. The elf turns this way and that, weaving the pair in and out of trees with minimal slip up.  

"Uhhh, not really," replies Justin as the boy runs into a log. The elf helps him over before returning to the path. "I sorta just live here in the woods. Much simpler than society, in my oh-so-humble opinion. No taxes, no annoyances, and absolutely no boring days." The man laughs a little. "Won't see old T...Justin slaving away in some menial farm gig, I can guarantee that." Angus chuckles at the statement. The small talk momentarily distracts from the steady downhill sloping of the land, which the detective soon picks up on.    


"Wow, are the tracks going down now?" he inquires, trying to get a glimpse of the completely obscured trail. Justin hums his affirmation.    


"Yup. Wherever this girl went, it's really far out." The man stops suddenly, but Angus is able to halt just in time to avoid collision. "Listen kid, it is none of my business, but isn't this kinda completely dangerous? Like, don't get me wrong, I don't give a shit, but why are you willing to come out here and stumble around for a girl you haven't met?" The boy finds this change in subject weird, but not exactly unexpected. He questions his own motives as well, seeing as he is going against all his grandad taught him by following a stranger just to find a potential victim.  


Angus sighs, shuffling his feet. "Well, my grand dad would always tell me about the people who sort of sit by and do nothing. Like, whole towns would be in trouble but kings would ignore it in favor of comfortable living. Or how people in the street will watch someone beat another person up." He looks up to Justin. "He asked me to bethe one that would not be a spectator and would jump in to rescue others. Or to lend a helping hand. I guess, sir, that I want to make a difference and save lives." Silence punctuates the last word, and for a second even the rain stops, creating a haunting atmosphere of absolutely nothing. Justin, however, begins to laugh softly.    


"A little hero, huh?" he snickers before starting to move again. Angus can't help but feel that response was a little...underwhelming. Maybe Justin isn't too good with words. He seems rather distant after all. He mentally shrugs and they continue on.   


For a few minutes they keep walking and walking, the pace so casual Angus is desperate to just order a charge. The rain starts up again and he guesses that they have been at it for over an hour. Then, Justin pipes up.  

"This is it, little man," he chirps, summoning a light with his umbrella (which surprises Angus (umbrellas can be staffs?)). "End of the trail." Angus looks ahead to a huge, solid wall. Craning his head, he sees it goes up at least twenty feet, like some sort of fortress. Eyes wide, he fishes his notebook from his vest pocket and begins to sketch.  

"AMAZING!" he cries. "This must be some old ruins that the perp is camping out in! Oh, sir, you did it!" After getting a basic outline of the fortress, accompanied by approximate dimensions, the boy snaps the book closed. "Okay, let's follow the tracks to find a door-" He glances down at the ground, eyes narrowing as he examines the mud. The blank mud. He swivels around to spot the trail, walking around a bit to see if its hidden from sight. For a second, he believes he found it before realizing its his own trail.  

"Uh...where are the tracks, sir?" he asks, turning to the elf. This is the first time Angus has seen Justin's face during the trip, and he is grinning from ear to ear. The boy stares for a second before his gaze drifts to the elfs feet. The earth is spotless around him, no sign of footprints from where he walked seconds ago anywhere. The umbrella in Justin's hand has lowered as well, seeming to point straight at him.  

It takes a second for dots to connect in the detectives mind. The man appeared out of nowhere. There were no camping supplies by the fire. He never left footprints. He seemed so interested in his family and motivations. This is no simple hermit. 

Angus staggers backwards, gasping, but Justin is much quicker. The holding spell already ensnares the boy, keeping him frozen mid-escape. His breaths come in hurried puffs, panic building up inside. Nobody knows he is out here. Nobody is aware of who the culprit is. And nobody will be able to track them by the time he is dead. If his jaw wasn't held shut he would be screaming for help.  

Justin laughs cheerily as he saunters forward. "Wow, I was wondering how long it would take for you to catch on. You're supposed to be a detective, yeah, Ango? Moving a bit slow there," he croons. Angus can only move his eyes to fix on the elf as he steps directly into view. "Don't you worry, I'm going to bring you to that girl and then I'm going to kill you both, sound good?" Pounding in his ears deafen the boy and tears begin to well up. Justin easily scoops him into his lithe arms.

"Aw, don't cry, darling," he soothes. "To your credit, I like your motivation. A noble little hero out to make the world better." The elf shifts all of Angus' weight to one arm so he can waves his umbrella, summoning a doorway. Even when unable to see it fully, the boy knows that high magic is in play. As the energy from the portal begins to lap at them, Justin looks Angus in the eye.  

"Heroes are a rare breed these days."


	2. Bitter Silver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this chapter was mostly done when I posted the first one, I hope you all enjoy it. I probably won't be this consistent and frequent in future updates, but let's enjoy it while it lasts :)
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Angus wakes up on the cold marble floor of a strange room, the air around him stiff and stale. A dim light emanating from a chandelier above illuminates a good deal of the large chamber but his vision fuzzes up. He reaches up to adjust his glasses only to find them completely absent from his face. Incapacitated and blinded in a strange room, captured by a probable murderer. The detective has lived through some hairy stuff before, but never as dire as this.  

Trembles wrack his body as he struggles to stand. The lack of any sort of bonds confuses him and he figures Justin believes he is weak enough to keep prisoner without tying him up. After he trips and falls to the ground, crying out in surprise, he begins to wonder if maybe the elf is right.  

On the floor, he reaches back to see what he tripped on, feeling cool metal beneath his hand. Using the metal as support, he gets to his feet slowly. The sturdy silver is tall and well sculpted, and by running his fingers along the surface Angus figures it is a statue. A very detailed statue at that, though he cannot discern what it is completely with the blobby blend of color. 

A sudden clap startles him from his thoughts, sending him scurrying forward out of instinct. The clicking of heels on marble fills the air as someone draws near. Angus doesn't have to be a detective to know who approaches and he steps further away. Space between him and his captor could be imperative to survival. 

"Oh, I'm glad to see you awake, Ango," Justin greets, coming ever closer. "I suppose you were all tuckered out after that trek through the wilderness. How are ya feeling?" The boy takes another step back before realizing he still has his vest, the weight in his inner pocket becoming known. He reaches into it, grabs his journal, and throws it at the elf with an angry yell. The book sails through the air, plunking against the mans chest before dropping to the ground. Despite the insignificant effect, Justin comes to a stop with an irritated look in his eyes. 

"Don't you take another step closer," Angus hisses, grabbing his pen and extending it threateningly. "Where is the girl?" The elf breaks into a smile at his question, head tilted mockingly.  


"You're a stubborn brat, huh? You have no clue where the hell you are, no idea what the hell I can do to you, and you're still concerned about that little kid," he snickers, beginning his advance once again. "I thought I warned you not to be a hero." Angus chucks the pen at his captor, the delicate plastic catching on the side of Justin's face, smearing a small stripe of ink on the greenish skin. Recoiling from the blow, the man turns to glare at the boy with a frightening fire in those mismatched eyes. "You little shit..."  


"I MEAN IT! STAY BACK!" Angus presses into a wall, unable to retreat any further. Justin closes in until he is near enough for  the detective to need to tilt his head to fully see. With the dark glower on his face, the man looks as if he is a split second away from turning the boy to dust. Angus doesn't want to test the limit and he simply stares with wide frightened eyes. "Get...get away from me."

With surprising speed, the elf reaches out and the boy screws his eyes shut, anticipating death. Instead, he feels something rigid hook around his ears and the familiar weight of wire on the bridge of his nose. He slowly opens his eyes to a much clearer view of Justin, who scowls down at him dangerously. Angus touches the wire frameof his glasses, confused. 

"That's better," the elf growls. "I can't be spooky and shit when you can't see." Before Angus interjects, his attention is caught by the statue from earlier. Or, rather, the large room full of silver statues of varying shapes and sizes lined up in a block. Each one, however, is clearly of a person. There are at least a couple hundred unique statues in total.   


Justin notices his fascination and turns around. "I see you've noticed my collection," he says, a bit of snark in his voice. "Do you like it?" He gestures towards them with a dramatic wave of the arm, as if inviting Angus to have a closer look. The boy casts a hesitant glance towards the man, unsure of whether or not to trust him, before slinking past him and up to the nearest statue. It depicts a dwarvish woman, her thick hair suspended in air as if the statue had been lying down. The surface is smooth and spotless, each indent of detail sticking out perfectly. It's a beautiful work of art. 

"I made them all," Justin continues, coming to stand on the other side of the statue. "Pretty neat, don't you think?" Angus glares over the dwarf's shoulder at the tall man, crossing his arms.   


"I think you're a maniac. Let me go! Why do you even want to kill people, you seem to have an express interest in sculpting! Do that instead!" he shouts, voice echoing off towering marble walls. The elf sighs, stepping forward to stoop down and rest his elbow on the statues shoulder. Angus steps back, not wanting any proximity to that criminal. 

"See here, sport, that's actually why I brought you down here," the elf hums and reaches to rub an invisible smudge off of the cheek of the statue. "I've lived for decades without contact with anyone. Hell, last time I had a proper conversation was, uh, five...six years ago?" Justin furrows his brow as if trying to remember. "Sounds about right. Anywho, it's been a while and, well, my project has gone unseen. I kinda want someone to...I guess, uh, witness this?" The man, whose words were generally woven from charm and confidence, actually seems to stumble on his sentences. The boy cannot help the tug of curiosity in his core, a nasty side effect of his detectiving ways.   


"Witness this?" he repeats and looks around at the huge room of sculptures. "...you make it sound more sinister than it is. You want to be an artist?" Justin lethargically looks to him, a flash of something bitter in his gaze. He hefts himself off of the dwarf, fixing his hat as he rises.   


"You don't get it, bubula," he sighs, looking down on Angus. "I want you to go around and really look. And tell me what you find." The boy clasps his hands into fists, hatred bubbling up in his chest.   


"I'm not here to wander your museum and answer riddles, madman!" he howls, searching his pockets for something else to throw. Fingers graze across his magnifying glass which he immediately rules out. No way in hell is he going to toss his favorite tool. "Take me home! I don't want to be here!" Justin glares and steps around the figure, advancing with the same aura of something dark and irate. Angus readies himself to attack with his bare hands, sinking down a bit as the elf looms over him. 

"Funny," Justin snarls, "you were so ready to run on in here when you were trying to save the girl. What hero gives up so fast?"   


"Grandpa told me to help those who need it, not to throw my life away recklessly!" Angus spits back, though his wavering confidence betrays itself with a crack in his voice.   


"Oh yeah? Gonna do all your grandpa asks?"  


"As opposed to a deranged elf, yes!" 

"Well where's your grand-papa now?" Justin makes a show of looking around. "OH GRAND-FAH-THA! Your little darling is about to die, he needs your guidance!" Angus is shaking now, fighting back the tears with every breath he takes. The man refocuses on him, a slight smile on his face.   


"Oh, jeez, seems he ain't here right now. What's a little brat to do?" He stalks towards the boy, grabbing his arm before he can react. "Now, I'm not going to ask you again. Look at the statues, Mister Detective, and do report back to me." Justin drags him forward, letting him go once Angus starts walking.   


The child steps down the row sandwiched between the sculptures, hesitantly observing each one as he passes. As he goes along, hiccuping and wiping at his eyes (for no reason; he is NOT crying), Angus actually does start to notice some odd similarities between each statue. While each one is of varying races and genders, all of them depict people with closed eyes and blank expressions. Those with long hair have it suspended behind their heads, much like the one of the female dwarf. The room is silent except for his reluctant footsteps as he reaches the end. He turns to the right to go down the next row, finding the same similarities. Unsure what to make of it, he starts to speed up. 

The boy runs down each row, trying to find what it all means. Why does Justin keep carving such similar yet unique statues? He goes down another five rows before whirling to start on the sixth. Starting off at a jog, he makes it to the half way point before something catches his eyes. Angus skids to a halt, panting and trying to catch his breath, before walking back to the one that grabbed his attention.   


There is nothing about this particular statue that is like the others. The young mans face is scrunched into a horrified scream, his eyes wide and mouth ajar. Angus feels compelled to touch the surface of the mans face, feeling the bumps and ridges of tears that run down those poor cheeks. His body is sort of hunched over, where the other sculptures are rim rod straight and relaxed. After a moment oflooking at the tortured man depicted in the statue, the boy has to turn away.   


Behind him stands Justin, frowning. His arms crossed and the fingers resting on his skinny bicep drums impatiently. Angus stares up at him, confused by it all. The gears in his head whir and spin but nothing clicks. 

What is the elf trying to tell him? And...why?  


Justin becomes impatient with their little staring contest and pulls his umbrella from a holster on his belt. Waving it, the ground begins to rise up, forming a little stool out of marble in which the man plops down. Angus watches him with rapt attention, eyes narrowing.   


"You're a wizard," he says. "I saw you do magic outside, too. Did you make these with magic?"   


"Yup," Justin says, taking off his pointy hat and running long fingers through his golden hair. Despite his air of nonchalance, he glances back at Angus every few seconds of so. The boy looks back to the statues, nodding. It would be near impossible making so many sculptures with such detail by hand. He reaches his hand out and brushes it against the arm of the screaming man. 

"Is this some sort of transmutation, then?" he asks. "You turn the blocks of silver into the statue?" Justin is silent. Angus throws a glance over his shoulder at the quiet elf, his handsome face unreadable. Hands now playing with the splayed fingers of the statue, the detective gazes down the rows of statues, mind at work.   


A few hundred, maybe even a half thousand statues, all of silver, with each one different in a mad mans possession. The transmutation wizard made the statues, but for what reason? And if he has been busy making the statues, why has he been terrorizing Neverwinter? Why kill those people? His fingers start to trace one of the silver sculpted buttons when his stomach lurches suddenly.   


Slowly, Angus swivels his gaze back to the face of the sculpture. The man screaming bloody murder stares right past his head, focused on his nonexistent assailant. The wrinkles and follicles are all visible, the realism of the piece becoming increasingly obvious to the boy. In fact, it looks as if the man is frozen in a silver cocoon.

...oh gods. 

He stumbles backwards, covering his mouth with both hands to stifle a shriek, or to hold back his vomit, he isn't sure. 

"YOU-" he sobs, "YOU MONSTER!" He bumps into another statue and he whips around to face the peaceful visage of a child. "ALL OF THESE STATUES...ALL OF THESE..." Angus collapses to the ground, arms wrapping around his torso. He squeezes his eyes shut and buries his nose into the crook of his arms, refusing to look at the frozen faces of the victims.   


I just want to go home, the thought swirls in his mind. Just let me go.

A shadow casts over the child, who doesn't bother to look up. There is silence for a second before Justin breathes deeply. "Witness this, kid. My crime. Take it all in and make your judgment in your heart." Something gentle rests on Angus' shoulder, making him flinch away. "I am a monster, little hero. What are you going to do about it?" A touch of desperation in the mans voice goes unnoticed. 

At the challenge, fire seems to light up in the boy's heart. Anger, disgust, confusion, and terror melds together into an inferno of absolute hate. He lifts his head to stare into the somber eyes of the elf.   


"I will stop you," he snarls. "I will bring you to justice for what you have done. And...and by the gods, Justin, I hope you hang." The two maintain eye contact for what feels like eternity, the daggers in Angus' glare carving their way across Justin's perfect face. Then, the elf smiles the first real, genuine smile the boy has seen.   


"Fuckin' finally," he whispers. Then, gathering up his hat, the elf stands and walks down the row of statues. He swishes the umbrella and a large oak door appears upon the wall. The man looks back to the still collapsed Angus, the smile on his face unwavering.   


"By the way, my dude, the not-fake name is Taako. You're gonna be here a while," he says. He drops into a deep bow before spinning around and strutting out the door. As soon as it slams shut, the great oak door fades until nothing but marble wall remains.   


And just like that, Angus is left alone in the graveyard of silver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything is weird, I know. Hold out for another chapter please ;-;
> 
> I hope you liked it, I don't think I've mentioned this is my first actual long fic I've ever worked on. I'm sorry if any character seems out of character.
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, end of chapter one. It kinda started out slow, sorry, but I swear it will pick up!  
> And, uh, I may have given Taako pretty op powers for this fic, in case you didn't catch the Jensen portal powers but in my defense he's op as fuck in the podcast. 
> 
> What the hell is our favorite elf wizard doing playing hermit in the woods? Is the Goodest Boy gonna be ay-okay? Will the mongooses be more important than an offhand reference? Find out in the following chapters!


End file.
